Texans hoping special teams become special

Ed Reed will draw more attention. Deservedly so, considering he is a virtual lock to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame about five years after he retired from the sport and should be the attitude-adjusting link that will put the Texans closer to a championship.

The No. 1 draft pick – who might be a key inside linebacker, a speedy wideout, perhaps an interior offensive lineman, or a pass-catching tight end, who would be a surprise to almost everyone except me – will get more notice as well.

Heck, the third- or fourth-round safety the Texans are likely to pick will be talked about more than some new assistant coach.

But the addition of Bob Ligashesky to the coaching staff, which the team announced this afternoon, could be among the most meaningful moves the Texans make this offseason.

The team announced the hiring of Ligashesky, 50, as a special teams assistant. Ligashesky is the first special teams assistant in the history of the franchise.

According to John McClain, the Texans were one of only three teams in the NFL without a designated special teams assistant coach on staff.

It is an interesting hire. And it almost certainly means Joe Marciano will return as the special teams coordinator, despite a terrible performance by the Texans’ special teams last season.

Houston was barely in the top 10 in punt returns (9th), in the bottom third of the league in kickoff return average (23rd), and their coverage units were even worse, as opponents were 20th and 27th, respectively, on punts and kickoffs returns.

Pro Football Focus’ metrics lists the 2012 Texans as having the No. 1 special teams in the league. Um, do note, that’s No. 1 on the list of the worst.

Marciano, who has been with the franchise since its inception, is well-liked and knowledgeable. He has coached special teams at the pro level since 1983.

So the idea that he is getting outcoached might be a stretch. The thought that he didn’t get the job done last season is something entirely different.

Some players, like former Texans Marcus Coleman who pointed this out to me on Twitter, believe special teams coaching is overrated. Coleman says it’s about effort.

I know others, guys who spent almost their entire careers on special teams, who say special teams coaching makes a significant difference.

They are both right.

Give a special teams coach big-time personnel with desire and he’ll have great special teams. With lesser talent, the same coach will have weak units.

In large part due to injuries, Marciano didn’t have the best talent last season. There were players whose primary roles were expected to be on special teams went down with injuries or were forced into more regular playing time.

There is an art to being a special teamer. Some players can do it, some can’t.

Clearly, Marciano tried some players on special teams who had no business being out there or who didn’t put in the time to improve. Those may not have all been his decisions, but when I saw a player like DeVier Posey make a specials team error, I wondered who in the world thought he could be a difference-maker as a defender.

I mean, I know he didn’t play special teams at Ohio State, so he probably hadn’t tackled a football player in, what, four or five years, if then? Yet, you throw him out there thinking he’s going to tackle an NFL return man? Please. He did manage to hold onto a couple of guys.

Will an extra set of eyes and another person dedicated to special teams help? Well, of course. The more the merrier. Obviously, more focus was needed.

We’re not talking about complicated schemes here, but Legashesky’s fresh view of players on the roster, and maybe more importantly, players trying to make the roster, should lead to immediate improvement.

A team with championship aspirations shouldn’t have to overcome special teams miscues week after week.